The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles advanced to the next round of the 2015 Seaoil-National Basketball Training Center National High School Championship in emphatic fashion as they hacked out a pair of convincing victories yesterday in Pasig City.
The Magis Eagles did not waste time in asserting themselves as they first took care of the Naga City Montessori, 100-61, at the Meralco Gym. They then took the stage at noon and blasted the Assumption College from Davao City, 83-64, to hike their win-loss record in Group E to 2-0 and earn a ticket to the semifinals.
Against Assumption College, Joshua Sinclair, Ateneo de Cebu’s prized 6-foot-4 forward, played like a man amongst boys as he compiled a whopping 30 points and grabbed 18 rebounds on top of three assists, a steal and a block.
Reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) and NBTC Cebu MVP Janjan Jaboneta added 12 points and nine boards.
Sinclair and Jaboneta helped set the tone early as they combined for 17 of the team’s 26 points in the first to propel them to a 26-16 lead. They then continued their onslaught in the ensuing canto, this time with Pio Longa and Zachy Huang joining the fray to outscore their opponents, 28-12, for a 54-28 half-time lead.
Robi Nayve, a wily guard who is being eyed by Batang Gilas head coach Mike Oliver to add to his squad, led Assumption with 20 points, six rebounds and two steals.
In other results, powerhouses San Beda A, B and reigning champions Chiang Kai Shek College (CKSC) also made their title intentions known with rousing victories over their respective opponents. San Beda A routed Lucena, 67-55, and
Zambales, 88-73, while San Beda B hardly broke a sweat against Zamboanga, 86-45. CKSC made quick work of Bacolod, 96-43.
In the single round robin semis today, the Magis Eagles will face San Beda-B at 1:30 p.m. and CKSC at 4 p.m.